


time and tide

by LadyMerlin



Category: Fullmetal Alchemist - All Media Types, Fullmetal Alchemist: Brotherhood & Manga
Genre: Don't copy to another site, Friendship, Happy Ending, Hopeful Ending, Loneliness, M/M, No Spoilers, Not Beta Read, Post-Canon, Pre-Relationship, Prompt: Sea, Road Trips, RoyEd Free-For-All Daily Challenge
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-04-30
Updated: 2019-04-30
Packaged: 2020-02-10 02:04:11
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,075
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/18650683
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/LadyMerlin/pseuds/LadyMerlin
Summary: He wants to ask what Fullmetal has done this time, or who’s died now, but he’s been reliably informed that what he thought was charming banter is actually immature pigtail pulling, and that he’s only going to drive Fullmetal away if he keeps it up.





	time and tide

**Author's Note:**

> Written for the RoyEd Free-For-All Discord Server's Daily Challenge. Today's prompt was "sea". 
> 
> The title comes from the old adage: "time and tide wait for no man"

Fullmetal is many things, but reticent is not one of them.

Which is why, when he walks into Roy’s office without a word and takes a seat at his sofa, Roy feels the first stirrings of concern. Fullmetal has always had an aversion to entering rooms normally; he’s more inclined towards dramatic entrances, a little bit like Roy himself. This entrance was almost... despondent.

He wants to ask what Fullmetal has done this time, or who’s died now, but he’s been reliably informed that what he thought was charming banter is actually immature pigtail pulling, and that he’s only going to drive Fullmetal away if he keeps it up.

He’d been too drunk to defend himself against the vile allegations at the time, but that isn’t the point.

The point is that Fullmetal is sitting in front of him, looking exceedingly morose.

“Are you alright, Full—”

“Don’t call me that,” Full – Ed snaps, before Roy can even finish asking the question.

Sometimes discretion is the best part of valour. Roy decides to pick his battles and tries again. “Are you alright, Edward?”

A darling blush paints Ed’s cheeks as he ducks his head, scowling to cover his embarrassment, and Roy is glad because it means Ed won’t be able to see his face; to see just how much Roy wants to kiss his pink cheeks, or the sheer adoration Roy feels for him.

It’s for the best.

“Al’s visiting the Cretan Sea with Mei and Winry this week. There’s a breed of salt-water dolphins which he read about in a book and he wants to see them for himself.”

This seems like a non sequitur, but Roy knows better than to think that’s all there is to it. Still, moments drip by into a pooling eternity and Ed doesn’t say anything more.

“How’s Al doing?” Roy prompts, because that’s as good a place to start as any. Outside, the sun is slowly sinking past the horizon, and the sky is a mesmerising shade of rose-gold. Everyone else is out celebrating the end of another week. They’ve survived, despite all odds. Roy doesn’t blame them for wanting to remind themselves that there’s more to life than what they’re doing, but for him, the work is only just beginning.

“I’m not jealous,” Ed says, seemingly ignoring his query and looking up. His gaze is magnetic, and Roy has no choice but to meet it; he’s helpless to look away. He believes it. Ed isn’t capable of envying his Brother anything. It would go against his most basic genetic code.

“I’m not jealous, but I’ve never seen the ocean before.”

And that’s what finally takes Roy’s breath away, because god. He’s so _young_. The world has taken so much from him, and here Roy is, stealing even more, keeping him in the military, away from any chance of a normal life. This sin sits squarely on Roy’s shoulders. There are no higher-ups Roy can blame for this, no evil conspiracy, or military complex. Al’s out there, figuring out how to live his life, and Ed... Ed’s sitting in his office, staring at his feet like he’s expecting to be scolded.

His gaze falls on the dwindling stack of paperwork on his desk. It’s so close to completion that even Riza had nodded approvingly at him before she left for the night.

“Do you have any plans for the weekend, Edward?”

“Huh?” Ed asks, and really, his honesty is incredible. Roy can read his expression like it’s an open book, confusion etched in his raised eyebrows, his parted lips, his eyes...

“Tomorrow and the day after,” Roy teases. “That’s what we call the weekend, you see, after the work week ends—”

“Shut up! Bastard,” Ed swears, regaining some of his usual fire. “I know what the weekend is!”

“Congratulations,” Roy says, smiling at him, throwing caution to the wind. “Do you have any plans?”

Ed shrugs, and that hurts Roy in the chest all over again. By all accounts Ed should be out painting the town red. Who gave Roy the right to ruin yet another life? He’s already going to hell for everything he’s done. He might as well as try and mitigate some of it.

“Go home and get your bag. Pack light. I’ll meet you back here in an hour.”

“What the hell are you talking about, _bastard_?!” Ed snaps, getting to his feet like a miniature hurricane, all pent-up energy and frustration.

“I’d have thought it was obvious, Edward.” His cheeks go pink again, and huh. That’s interesting. “My Mother has a small house on the beach. I’ll take you. We’ll be there in time for the sunrise if we leave within the next hour.”

Ed stares at him, stunned. “What?”

And this question, Roy understands. He shrugs. “You’ve done so much, Edward. More than most men do in their entire lives. You’re allowed to want things for yourself. And this is something within my power, and—” well. He doesn’t want to cheapen it, but it would cost him nothing and it would mean a lot to Ed. Doing this for him would mean a lot to Roy too, but this isn’t about him.

“It’ll be nice, Edward. The front of the house opens onto the beach. It’s where I go when I want to be at peace. No one’s ever been there except Riza and Maes.”

Ed’s surprise turns into scepticism. “And you want to take me there? I don’t exactly scream peaceful, Mustang.” Ed’s arms are crossed over his chest, but there’s hope burning in his eyes, like this is something he wants but doesn’t dare to take, even when it’s freely offered.

Roy grins, letting some of the tension slip out of his shoulders. He knows he looks like a school boy when he smiles, which is why he doesn’t do it that often, but he can’t help it. He’s winning the argument. He can tell. “Call me Roy, Edward.” Then because it’s a question he’s sure Ed wants to ask, “and yes, I’m absolutely sure. It’d be my pleasure.”

Maybe his sincerity shows through on his face, or maybe after all these years Ed has come to trust him. He nods and smiles at Roy, arms finally uncrossing. Roy digs his keys out of his desk and stands up to leave the room. Ed follows, and turns off the lights before closing the door.

The sea awaits. The paperwork will keep.

**Author's Note:**

> Yes, I am aware that Amestris is landlocked. I have simply rewritten reality to suit my purposes. 
> 
> This was written in 45 minutes on my phone and not beta-read. I apologise for any grammatical/structural weirdness. Please do give a shout if you spot any glaring errors. 
> 
> Also, pls send love.


End file.
